Railway traffic controlling apparatus



E.M.ALLEN Augw 4, 1936 RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS OriginalFiled June 25, 1931 N f A M mm. w .R T d M QQRHR b wm fiso i m A? J1 .JN W; T F 5 Q E NH UNITED sTATes PATENT OFFICE RAILWAY Earl M. Allen,Swissv Union Switch Pa., a ccrporat Application June APPARATUS ale, Pa.,assignor to The & Signal ion of Pennsylvania 23, 1931, Serial No.546,237

Company, Swissvalc,

Renewed April 28, 1932 20 Claims.

My invention relates to railway traffic controlling apparatus, and tusof the type involving a railw and signals governing trafiic ove Morespecifically,

particularly to apparaay track switch r the switch.

my invention relates to the approach locking of a switch, and has for anobject the provision of novel and improved approach locking meanswhereby lease of the track relay for the ing the switch will not resultin momentary resection includfalse operation of the approach lockingapparatus.

I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and willthen point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is view showing one form of appar my invention.

Referring to acters I and l stretch of main railway nected with a sidingthe drawing, the

a diagrammatic atus embodying reference chardesignate the track rails ofa track Y which is con- Z by means of a switch F.

Main track Y is divided by insulated joints 2 into a switch section B-Ccontaining switch F, and two approach sections A-B and C- -l). Each ofthese sections is provided with a track circuit comprising a trackbattery 3 connected across the rails adjacent one end of the section anda track relay T, with a distinguishing exponent, connected across otherend of the section.

the rails adjacent the Signals designated by the reference characters Sand S respectively, over switch F in the eastbound govern traflicmovements direction, that is, toward the right as shown in the drawing.

Signal S governs track Y overswitch F in which it is shown in nal Sgoverns traffic trafiic movements along main its normal position in thedrawing, whereas sige movements from track Y to siding Z over switch Freversed. As here shown, signals S are of the semaphore type.

Switch F may be operated between normal and reverse positions by anysuitable electrically controlled mechanism ing contacts 8 and withswitch mechanism E so th E. A pole-changer P havlii is operated inconjunction at when switch F is moved to its normal position,pole-changer P causes electric current to mal direction, from a sourceno drawing but having be supplied in a nort shown in the terminals :rand o, for energizing a polarized switch indication relay K in thenormal direction. When switch F is operated to in the rever pole-changerP causes curse direction for the reverse direction.

E is controlled in a well known manner by a neutral contact 39' andpolar contacts 40 and 4| of a polarized switch control relay W. Relay Wis, in turn, controlled by pole-changing contacts l8 and 2| of amanually operable switch lever V and also *5 by a front contact IQ of anapproach locking relay M, as well as by a front contact 20 of trackrelay T for switch section B-C.

Signals S and S are controlled by home relays H and H respectively.Relays H and 10 H are controlled by normal and reverse contacts,respectively, of relay K and by a signal relay R as well as by trackrelay T a back contact 34 of approach locking relay M. and a releaserelay designated by the reference characl5 ter TEP.

Signal relay R is controlled by track. relay T and by a normally opencontact 22 of a manually operable signal lever V Levers V and V may beplaced together in 20 some central location such, for example, as atrain despatchers office.

Approach locking relay M has four pick-up circuits, the first of whichincludes front contact i5 of approach track relay T the second 5 ofwhich includes back contact 25 of approach track relay T normal polarcontact 26 and front neutral contact 2! of relayK as well as backcontact 28 of relay T the third of which includes back contact 24 ofrelease relay TEP, 0 reverse polar contact 26, front neutral contact 21of relay K as well as back contact 28 of relay T and the fourth of whichincludes contact H! of a slow pick-up relay TE. Relay M has one stickcircuit including its own front contact It. This stick circuit and allfour pick-up circuits include back contact I I of relay R and frontcontact l2 of a signal back lock relay G. Back contact 29 of relay G-completes a shunt path around the winding of relay M, when relay G isdeenergized.

Relay G- is controlled by back contacts I and 8 of signal home relays1-1 and H Slow pick-up relay TE is controlled by a front contact 3!! ofrelay 'I' in multiple with a reverse polar contact 32 and a neutralfront contact 3! of relay K, and by back contact iii of relay M inseries with front contact [2 of relay G and back contact ll of relay R.Relay TE is of a type having a checking contact 6 which opens afterrelay TE has been energized for a given period as, for example, ten tofifteen seconds, and has a second contact 5 which opens after a furtherperiod of time. A third contact M of relay TE closes when contact 5opens.

Release relay TEP is controlled by contacts 5 and 6 of relay TE inseries.

As shown in the drawing, all parts are in their normal condition, thatis, sections A-B, BC, and 0-D are unoccupied, switch F is in its normalposition, signals S and S are indicating stop, and levers V and V are intheir normal positions. With switch F in its normal position, relay K isenergized by current of normal polarity, causing its polar contacts 25and 38 to be closed in the normal position and its contact 32 to beopen. Relays H and H are deenergized, and hence relay G is energized bya circuit passing from terminal x, through contacts 1 and 8 of relays Hand H respectively, and the winding of relay G to terminal 0. With leverV in its normal position, to the left as shown in the drawing, relay Wis energized by current of normal polarity by a circuit passing fromterminal :0, through contact 2| to the left, winding of relay W, frontcontact 20 of relay T front contact IQ of approach locking relay M, andcontact I 8 of lever V to the left, and thence to terminal 0. Approachlocking relay M is energized by its first pick-up circuit passing fromterminal :0, through back contact ll of relay R, front contact l2 ofrelay G, wires l3 and'l3 contact l5 of relay T wire [1, and the windingof relay M 'to terminal 0. The stick circuit for relay M is also closed,following the pick-up circuit just traced as far as wire l3, thencepassing through wires l3 and I3 front contact l6 of relay M, and thewinding of relay M to terminal 0. With relay M energized, the circuitfor relay TE is open at the back point of contact l6 of relay M. Withrelay TE deenergized, relay TEP is energized by a circuit passing fromterminal w, through contacts 5 and 6 of relay TE, and winding of relayTEP to terminal 0.

I will now assume that with all parts of the apparatus thus in theirnormal condition, the despatcher desires to clear signal S for tralficto move along track Y. He will therefore move lever V to the left,completing a circuit for energizing relay R passing from terminal :12,through contact 22 of lever V front contact 23 of relay T and thewinding of relay R to terminal 0. Relay R, upon becoming energized,opens its back contact H in the pick-up and stick circuits previouslytraced for relay M, and thus causes relay M to become deenergized. RelayM, upon becoming deenergized, opens, at its contact I9, the circuitpreviously traced for relay W. Relay W, upon becoming deenergized,permits its contact 39 to open, thereby interrupting the operatingcircuit for switch mechanism E so as to prevent operation of switch F.With relay R energized and with relay M deenergized, relay H becomesenergized by a circuit passing from terminal as, through front contact33 of relay TEP, back contact 34 of relay M, front contact 35 of relay Tfront contact 36 of relay R, front contact 31 and polar contact 38 ofrelay K in its normal position, and winding of relay H to terminal 0.Relay H upon becoming energized, closes its contact 42, therebycompleting an operating circuit for signal S which causes the arm ofsignal S to indicate proceed. The energization of relay H causes itscontact 8 to open, thereby breaking the circuit for relay G and causingthis relay to become deenergized. Relay G, upon becoming deenergized,permits its back contact 29 to close and thereby complete a shunt aroundthe winding of relay M. This shunt protects against energization ofrelay M of relay W causes its from any stray current due to crosses orother causes.

An eastbound train, on entering section AB, deenergizes approach trackrelay T contact 15 of which then opens in one of the pick-up circuitspreviously traced for relay M, which with relay R energized for clearingsignal S and with relay G deenergized on account of relay H beingenergized, is already open at contacts II and I2 of relays R and G,respectively. The train, upon entering section BC, deenergizes relay Twhich then, at its contact 23, opens the circuit for relay R. Contact 36of relay R then opens the circuit for relay H which causes signal S toindicate stop. As the train proceeds further and enters section C-D,deenergizing relay T the second pick-up circuit will be completed forrelay M passing from terminal 3:, through back contact I I of relay R,front contact I2 of relay G, back contact 25 of relay T polar contact'26in the normal position and front neutral contact 21 of relay K, backcontact 28 of relay T and the winding of relay M to terminal 0. Relay M,upon becoming energized, will continue energized by its stick circuit ifthe despatcher returns lever V to its normal position before the trainleaves section BC.

I will now assume that after the train has left section CD- and allparts of the apparatus have been again returned to the normal condition,the despatcher again clears signal S for an eastbound train to movealong track Y over switch F in its normal position. If then an eastboundtrain enters section AB and if before the train vpasses signal S thedespatcher should desire to reverse switch F, he will return lever V toits normal position and move lever V to the reverse position. Relay Mhaving become deenergized on account of relay R being energized andrelay G being deenergized will prevent relay W from at once beingenergized in the reverse direction. Lever V upon being returned to itsnormal position, causes relay R to become deenergized and this in turndeenergizes relay H and causes the arm of signal S to return to the stopposition. Relay H upon becoming deenergized, completes the circuit forrelay G which then closes its front contact l2. With relay R deenergizedand relay G energized and with relay M deenergized, a circuit is nowclosed for energizing slow pick-up relay TE passing from terminal as,through back contact ll of relay R, front contact l2 of relay G, wires[3, l3", and I 3, back point of contact 16 of relay M, front contact 30of relay T TE to terminal 0. After the lapse of a predetermined periodof time, contact I 4 closes and thus completes the fourth pick-upcircuit for relay M passing from terminal :r, through back contact ll ofrelay R, front contact wires l3 and I3 contact M of relay TE, Wire I1,and the winding of relay M to terminal 0. Relay M, upon becomingenergized, opens, at the back point of its contact IS, the circuit forrelay TE and closes, at the front point of its contact It, its own stickcircuit. Relay M, upon becoming energized, completes at its contact ISthe reverse energizing circuit for relay W passing from terminal at,through contact l8 of lever V in its reverse position, contact l9 ofrelay M, contact 20 of relay T ,'winding of relay W, and contact 2| oflever V in its reverse position to terminal 0. The reverse energizationcontacts 40 and 4| to, become closed in the reverse position forsupplying and the winding of relay B2 of relay G,

operating current to thereby causing relay switch mechanism .E in theMechanism E then moves position, whereupon rereverse direction. switch Fto its reverse .lay K becomes energized in the reverse direction onaccount of theshifting of pole-changer P to its reverse position. Thedespatcher'will now clear signal S by reversing lever V which thencloses its contact 22 and completes the circuit previously traced forrelay R. Relay R, upon becoming energized, opens its contact H,

M to again become deenergized. With relay M deenergized, with relay Renergized, and with relay K energized in thereverse direction, a circuitis now completed for energizing relay H following the path previouslytraced for the circuit for relay H as 'far as contact 31 of relay K, andthence passing through polar contact 38 of relay K in its reverseposition, and the winding of relay II to terminal 0. Relay H uponbecoming energized, completes at its contact 43 the operating circuitfor signal S the arm of which then moves to the proceed position.

The train, upon entering section BC,-causes relay I to becomedeenergized and open the circuit for relay R as previously described.The deenergization of relay It causes its contact 36 to openthe circuitfor relay H which then, becoming deenergized, causes the arm of signal Sto return to the stop position. With relay I-I now deenergized, relay Gagain becomes energized by its circuit previously traced. With re lay Rdeenergized, with relay G energized, and

deenergizing relay TEP.

lay K in its reverse position, of relay K, back contact 28 of relay Tand the with relay M deenergized, a second circuit is now completed forrelay TE following the path previously traced for the first circuit forrelay TE as far as back contact I6 of relay M, and thence passingthrough front contact 3| verse polar contact 32 of relay K, and thewinding of relay TE to terminal o-L Upon "the lapse of a period of timewhich is shorter than the time required for contact M of relay TE toclose, checking contact 6 of relay TE will open, thereby Relay TEP, uponbecoming deenergized, permits its back contact 24 to close. The thirdpick-up circuit for relay M is thereby completed, passing from terminal:0, through back contact H of relay R, front contact i2 of relay G,wires 13, l3 and l'3, back contact 24 of relay TEP, polar contact 26 ofrefront contact '21 winding of relay M to terminal b. If the despatcherreturns lever V to its normal position, thereby preventing theenergization of-relayR when the train leaves section BC, relay M willthen continue energized by its stick circuit previously traced.

I If, with switch F reversed and with relay M deenergized on account ofsignal S having'been cleared, relay T had in some way been momentarilydeenergized instead of being deenergized by a train entering section BC,relay M could not become energized because there would not be timeenough for relay TEP to be deenergized and cause its back contact 24 toclose on account of the opening of contact 6 of relay TE before contact28 of relay T in the third pickup circuit for relay M again opened. If,on the other hand, switch F were in its normal position and relay M weredeenergized due to the clearing of signal S, a momentary deenergizationof relay T could not cause relay M to become energized by its secondpick-up circuit since" it is wellv as if switch F is back contact 29 ofrelay G, also switch, control means and 7 signal for governing trafficsaid signal control also necessary :lEor relay T to be deenergized inorder tocomplete the secondpick-up circuit.

It follows that apparatus embodying my invention protects against animproper energize.- tion of relay M by a momentary deenergization ofswitch section relay T if switch F is reversed as normal. Apparatusembodying my invention, by means of the shunt completed around thewinding of relay M through protects against false energization of relayM in any manner while eitherrelay R or relay G is deenergized on accountof the operation for clearing either signal S or S Although I haveherein shown and described only one form of apparatus embodying myinvention, it is understood that various changes and modifications maybe made therein within the from the spirit and scope'of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1., In combination, a railway track switch, a signal for governing traffc movements over said for :said signal, a stick relay, a slow pick-uprelay controlled by a back contact of said stickrelay and having acontact which becomes opened only upon the lapse of a measured period oftime after said slow pickup relay becomes energized, a pick-up circuitfor said stick relay controlled by said contact of the slow pick-uprelay only when said switch is in a given position, a stick circuit forsaid stick relay controlled by said signal control means, and

meanscontrolled by said stick relay for controlling said switch.

2. In combination, a railway track switch, a movements over said switch,control means for said signal, a stick relay, a slow pick-up relaycontrolled by a back contact of said stick relay and having a contactwhich becomes opened only upon thelapse of a measured period of timeafter said slow pick-up relay becomes energized, a release relaycontrolled by a circuit which includes said contact of the slow .pick-uprelay, a pick-up circuit for said stick relay controlled by a backcontact of said release relay, a stick circuit for said stick relaycontrolled by said signal control means, means controlled by a frontcontact of said release relay as well as by means for controlling saidsignakand means controlled by said stick relay for controlling saidswitch.

3. In combination, a railway track switch, a signal for governingtraflic movements over said switch, control means for said signal, astick relay, a release relay controlled by a back contact of said stickrelay, a pick-up circuit for said stick relay controlled by said releaserelay only when said switch is in a given position, a stick circuit forsaid stick relay controlled by said signal control means, and meanscontrolled by said stick relay for controlling saidlswitch.

4. In combination, a railway track switch, a signal for governingtraific movements overvsaid switch, control meansfor said signal, astick relay, a release relay controlled by a back contact of said stickrelay, a pick-up circuit for said stick relay controlled by a backcontact of said switch, control means for said signal, a. stick relay, aslow pick-up relay controlled by a back contact of said stick relay andhaving a contact which becomes operated a measured period of time aftersaid slow pick-up relay becomes energized and having a second contactwhich becomes operated after the lapse of a difierent period of time, afirst and a second pick-up circuit for said stick relay controlled bysaid first and second contacts respectively of said slow pickup relay, astick circuit for said stick relay controlled by said signal controlmeans, and means controlled by said stick relay for controlling saidswitch.

6. In combination, a railway track switch, a signal for governingtrailic movements over said switch, control means for said signal, astick relay, a slow pick-up relay controlled by a back contact of saidstick relay and having a contact which becomes operated a measuredperiod of time after said slow pick-up relay becomes energized andhaving a second contact which becomes operated after the lapse of adifferent period of time, a pick-up circuit for said stick relaycontrolled by said first contact of the slow pick-up relay only whensaid switch is in one given position, a second pick-up circuit for saidstick relay controlled by said second contact of the slow pick-up relay,a stick circuit for said stick relay controlled by said signal controlmeans, and means controlled by said stick relay for controlling saidswitch.

7. In combination, a railway track switch, a signal for governingtrafiic movements over said switch, control means for said signal, anapproach locking relay, a pick-up circuit for said relay controlled bytraffic adjacent said switch, a stick circuit for said relay controlledby said signal control means, a shunt formed across the winding of saidrelay when said signal control means is in condition for causing saidsignal to indicate proceed, and means controlled by said relay forcontrolling said switch. 7

8. In combination, a section of railway track including a switch, asignal governing traffic movements over said switch, control means forsaid signal, an approach track section for said signal, a stick relay, arelease relay controlled by a back contact of said stick relay, 2. trackcircuit for each of said sections including a track relay, a pick-upcircuit for said stick relay including a back contact of each of saidtrack relays when said switch is in its normal position, a secondpick-up circuit for said stick relay including a back contact of saidswitch section relay and controlled by said release relay when saidswitch is in the reverse position, a stick circuit for said stick relaycontrolled by said signal control means, and means controlled by saidstick relay for controlling said switch.

9. In combination, a. railway track switch, approach locking means forcontrolling said switch, a slow pick-up relay having a contact whichbecomes operated upon the lapse of a measured period of time after saidslow pick-up relay becomes energized and having a, second contact whichbecomes operated after the lapse of a different period of time, meansfor at timesenergizing said slow pick-up relay when said approachlocking means is in condition for preventing operation of said switch,means controlled by said first contact for putting said approach lockingmeans into condition to permit operation of said switch to a givenposition, and means controlled by said second contact for putting saidapproach locking means into condition to permit operation of said switchto a second position.

10. In combination, a railway track switch, approachlockingmeans forcontrolling said switch, a slow pick-up relay having a contact whichbecomes operated upon the lapse of a measured period of time after saidslow pick-up relay becomes energized and having a second contactwhichibecomes operated after the lapse of a different period of time,means for at times energizing said slow pick-up relay when said approachlocking means is in condition for preventing operation of said switch,means controlled by said first contact for putting said approach lockingmeans into condition to permit a given operation of said switch, andmeans controlled by said second contact for putting said app-roachlocking means into condition to permit a second operation of saidswitch.

11. In combination, a railway track switch, an approach track sectionfor said switch, a signal adjacent the end of said section nearest saidswitch for governing trafiic movements over said switch, locking meansfor at times preventing an operation of said switch while said signalindicates stop if said approach section is occupied, a time elementdevice having a contact which becomes operated upon the lapse of ameasured period of time after said time element device becomes energizedand having a second contact which becomes operated upon the lapse of adifferent period of time after said time element device becomesenergized, means for at times energizing said time element device ifsaid signal is controlled to indicate stop, said first contact forreleasing said locking means to permit a given operation of said switch,and means controlled. by-said second contact for releasing said lockingmeans to permit a difierent operation of said switch. 3 1 F 12. Incombination, a section of railway track including a switch, an approachsection adjacent said switch section, a signal for governing themovement of trafiic over the switch, locking means for preventing anoperation of said switch it the signal is put to stop when said approachsection is occupied, a time element device, means for energizing saidtime element device when the signal is put to stop, means controlled bysaid time element device for releasing said locking means to permit anoperation of said switch upon the lapse of a measured period of timeafter said time element device becomes energized, and other meanscontrolled by said time element device and operable only when the switchsection is occupied for releasing said locking means, said other meansbecoming effective upon the lapse of a measured period of time aftersaid time element device becomes energized.

13. In combination, a section of railway track including a switch, anapproach section adjacent said switch section, a signal for governingthe movement of traffic over the switch, locking means for preventing anoperation of said switch if the signal is put to stop when said approachsection is occupied, a time element device, means for energizing saidtime element device when the signal is put to stop, means controlled bysaid time element device releasing said locking means to permit anoperation of said switch upon the lapse of a measured period of timeafter said time element device becomes energized, and other meanscontrolled by said time element device for releasing said locking meansto permit an operation, of said switch in one direction only, said meanscontrolled by when the signal is manually put to stop, means controlledby said time element device for releasing the locking means to permit anoperation of said switch upon the lapse of a given period of time aftersaid time element device becomes manually energized, means forautomatically energizing said time element device to initiate therelease of said locking means when the signal is put to stop by a trainentering said switch section provided the switch is in a given positiononly, and means controlled by said, time element device and by thecondition of occupancy of said switch section for completing the releaseof said locking means upon the lapse of a difierent period of time aftersaid time element device becomes automatically energized.

15. In combination, a section of railway track containing a switch,locking means which if deenergized will prevent an operation of saidswitch, means including a time element device controlled by a train insaid section for delaying the energization of said locking means untilthe lapse of a given interval of time after said train enters saidsection, manually controllable means for energizing said locking means,and means delaying the energization of said locking means for adifierent given interval of time after said manually controllable meansis operated, provided there is a train approaching within apredetermined distance of said section.

16. In combination, a section of railway track containing a switch,locking means which if deenergized will prevent an operation of saidswitch, and means controlled by a train in said section and by saidswitch for delaying the energization of said locking means until thelapse of a given interval of time after said train enters said sectionif said switch occupies one but not the other of its extreme positions.

1'7. In combination, a section of, railway track containing a switch, asignal for governing traffic movements over said switch, a signal relaycontrolled by a train in said section and also manually controlled forcontrolling said signal, locking means for controlling said switch, andmeans controlled by said signal relay and by said switch for causingenergization of said locking means upon the lapse of a measured intervalof time after a train enters said section if said switch occupies onebut not the other of its extreme positions.

18. In combination, a section of railway track containing a switch, atrack circuit for said section including a track relay, locking meansfor controlling said switch, and means controlled by said track relayand by said switch for causing energization of said locking means uponthe lapse of a measured interval of time after said track relay becomesdeenergized if said switch occupies one but not the other of its extremepositions. V

19. In combination, a section of railway track including a track switchfor establishing a traffic route leading to an adjacent main tracksection or to a siding, depending upon the position of the switch, trackcircuits for the switch section and the adjacent section each having atrack relay, approach locking means for at times preventing theoperation of the switch, means for initiating the release of saidlocking means when a train enters said switch section, means forcompleting the release of said locking means when the switch position issuch as to permit the train to enter said adjacent section comprising acircuit including in series a back contact of the switch section trackrelay and a back contact of the adjacent section track relay, and meansfor completing the release of'said locking means when the switchposition is such as to permit the train to enter the siding comprising acircuit including in series aback contact of-the switch section trackrelay and a contact which becomes closed a measured time interval aftersuch release is initiated,

20. In combination, a switch section of railway track containing aswitch, an approach track section for said switch, a signal forgoverning the movement of traific from said approach section to saidswitch section, an approach locking relay effective when deenergized toprevent operation of the switch, means for energizing said locking relaywhen the signal is manually put to stop provided said approach sectionis occupied, a time element device having a contact which is operatedupon the lapse of a measured time interval after said time elementdevice becomes energized and having a second contact which is operatedupon the lapse of a different period of time after said time elementdevice becomes energized, means controlled by the signal for at timesenergizing said time element device when the signal is put to stop,means controlled by said first contact for energizing said lockingrelay, and means controlled by said second contact effective only whenthe switch is in a given position for energizing said locking relay.

EARL M. ALLEN.

